2012 Tribut-Dauvissat - Chablis Beauroy 1er Cru

Some development with a certain cheesiness on the nose but a bit chewy on the end. Not very pure. (JR)

The 2012 Chablis 1er Cru Beauroy comes from six parcels that together make 1.45 hectares, with the oldest vines planted in 1969. It has a lifted, floral nose with hints of almond and a faint sea influence coming through. The palate is medium-bodied with a crisp, orange peel-tinged entry, good weight in the mouth and a tightly wound, shaved ginger-tinged finish. Fine. Drink now-2018. I have enjoyed the Chablis from Laurent Tribut for many years and it was a pleasure to finally visit the domaine in the village of Poinchy. Married to the daughter of Rene Dauvissat, Marie Clotilde, the couple tends just under 8 hectares of vineyard conjoining the vines of Dauvissat. Where once the wines were made in Dauvissat’s cellar, they now make the wines in their own facility in the village of Poinchy, but continue the exacting standards applied in that famous cellar. These tenets include maturing the wine in used oak barrels, from Alliers, Vosges and Chatillons, in what appeared to be a slightly cramped cellar! Perhaps the association with Dauvissat has tended to overshadow the quality of Laurent’s wines in the past, but I found much to enjoy and appreciate here on their own merit. Here is a great example of barrel-aged Chablis that retains the intrinsic minerality and precision of the region. Importer: Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL; tel. (205) 980-8802; and through H2Vin (www.h2vin.co.uk) and Justerini & Brooks in the UK.

Less concentrated and characterful than their Léchet and seems a bit oxidative on the finish, in fact. (RH)